That trite line is usually referred for champions, not clubs with the modest goal of ending their three-year streak of 100-loss seasons. But the words hardly seemed odd flowing freely from Lawless’ lips in the second game of his tenure.

The Astros had plenty to be excited about after Collin McHugh continued his mastery over the Angels and Chris Carter hit two home runs to complete a two-game sweep with a 4-1 victory over the team with the best record in baseball.

“It just shows we can beat anybody in the league,” Carter said after setting a new franchise record with his seventh multi-home run game of the year “I think we’re playing well right now and having a lot of fun right now. That’s probably the biggest thing for us.”

The Angels arrived at Minute Maid Park on a six-game winning streak after completing a four-game sweep over the defending AL West champion A’s, but now they head to Minnesota on a two-game losing streak.

McHugh held the Angels to four hits and one run with eight strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings before a crowd of 16,949 at Minute Maid Park. He was pulled after only 96 pitches when Lawless called on Jose Veras to face slugger Mike Trout with two outs in the eighth.

Chad Qualls handled the ninth for the save.

McHugh has given up only six runs (five earned) over 23 2/3 combined innings through four starts against the Angels this season for an impressive 1.90 ERA.

“They’ve got some boppers in the lineup, guys that can go out and get it and hit the ball out of the park,” McHugh said. “So you’ve got to try and make good pitches and execute as well as you possibly can.

“I had a good fastball tonight when I needed it at times. At times it was inconsistent, but when it needed to show up it was there. (Jason) Castro had a great job behind the plate, good game plan.”

Angels righthander Jered Weaver, who entered the night tied for the American League lead with 15 victories, gave up five hits and two runs with two walks and six strikeouts over six innings to fall to 15-8.

Carter gave the Astros a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run to left in the second inning.

“That’s why I like pitching in Anaheim,” Weaver said. “I thought he kind of mishit it, hit it off the bat, but he’s strong as an ox.”

The Angels tied it in the bottom of the third. Efren Navarro led off the third with a single to center. One out later, Kole Calhoun put runners at the corners with a single to center. Trout followed with an RBI grounder to short, where Jonathan Villar booted it for his team-high 13th error of the season.

The Astros didn’t waste much time regaining the lead. Center fielder Dexter Fowler drew a one-out walk and stole second base in the fourth inning. Then Castro hit a two-out, RBI single to right field to give the Astros a 2-1 lead.

Jose Altuve got the attack going in the eighth with a one-out double down the left field line for his major league-leading 194th hit of the season. He took third on a balk. Carter then brought him home with an opposite-field, two-run home run to right.

With his second home run of the night and 35th of the season, Carter became the first Astros player to have seven multi-homer games in a season. He and Lance Berkman shared the previous record, which Berkman set in 2006 with six multi-homer games. At this time last year folks were dwelling on Carter’s franchise record 212 strikeouts, the third highest total in baseball history. Now he has the most home runs in a season by an Astro since Berkman had 45 in 2006.

Carter is also only one home run away from the big league lead, which is shared by the Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton and the Orioles’ Nelson Cruz.

“I wasn’t even aware about it,” Carter said of the franchise record for multi-homer games. “It’s nice to have a good record this time instead of the one I had last year.”